Quote: carol boche

I am not big on rewarding for being quiet for a couple minutes. But I am a meanie.

Well, the couple of minutes is just to solidify the connection between the "quiet" command and the "quiet" action.

Once that's solid, the time is extended..... like the "sit" at first being just butt-on-the-floor, but ending up being butt-on-the-floor until I release.

I was just thinking about that. Putting two and two together so to speak.
I like the way you explained it.

I am going to try that Connie. Starting tomorrow. Why is it that we do all this positive training, but then when we have something "come up" it takes us a bit to go "DUH, I bet this will work."

 Quote: mark surgenor

to me, it just seems like it kills her when i am not around her. i am fine with continuing to ignore, but just want to make sure it isn't something I am actually causing.

2nd question: she has started the irritating hobby of chewing and wrapping up in the leash whenever i put it on her. i try to yank it out of her mouth continually, but don't wanna jerk to hard OR make it seem like a game.

The leash biting is a game to begin with, whether or ignore it and she tugs and bites on her own with no encouragement or correction, or you tug back and try to take it, it's a game either way.

11 weeks is still pretty young but what I do for pups that begin leash biting is take them out on the lead only with the intent to deal with the behavior - no other agenda so as to not become frustrated if I'm trying to get the pup to do something else like potty or exercise. Put lemon juice, lime juice, vinegar, or bitter apple on your hand, sort of soak your fingertips in it, or take out a cotton ball very damp with it (but not sopping or dripping). Hold the lead halfway, giving her slack to move around freely as you move with her.

As soon as she grabs the lead, slide your hand down the rest of the way and stick your bitter finger/cotton ball in her mouth. If using your finger, you can put light pressure on the gums or roof of the mouth/below the tongue, but don't press hard or squeeze, just a pressure to encourage her to move her mouth away. Usually it doesn't take any pressure, as soon as they taste the icky stuff they spit the leash out. She will likely just grab the leash again - continue to calmly correct with the hand slide. Don't say anything, don't pull on the leash, just continue with the hand slide until she figures out that biting the leash gets her nothing but a bitter taste in her mouth.

Always good to take out a toy, hidden in a pocket or behind your back, etc, so that when she becomes bored with the leash or gives you a second between leash grabs you can reward/redirect to the toy. Play with the toy only when she is not biting the leash, don't give her the toy when she it biting the leash, don't show her the toy when biting the leash, only when she is not trying to eat the leash show and then give the toy. You don't want to create the association with leash biting = toy appears. Don't correct with your voice or a collar jerk, just with the hand slide/bitter taste so that leash doesn't become something bad. We want to make the leash unedible, not unfriendly.

 Quote: mark surgenor

And she stops immediately if i walk near her, etc. if she always quits whining when i move towards her or she sees me, then how do you reward that?

For the whining, it is normal puppy behavior in my experience. You are her pack, she wants to be with you, she feels the most secure and the most happy when you are around and she can see you. Whining when you are out of sight or too far away can be from anxiety/worry that she is all alone, or because she wants to play/is bored.

For her, you coming close is her reward for whining. It is not that she exactly wants out of the crate at first, she just wants you closer to her. Moving closer to her in any way, even if you are not looking at her, and are just walking past her crate, still rewards her because you came closer.

Here's what I do with my pups/recommend: Cover her crate, or completely utterly, 100% ignore her whining and do not come closer to her at all while she is whining. Do not even come closer to try and correct her - correction at this point would still be rewarding because you are paying attention to her. ONLY when she has been quiet for at least 30 seconds start coming closer to mark/reward the quiet. If she starts whining while you are coming closer, immediately turn around and walk away and ignore her again. She will learn that whining drives you further away. Keep in mind she will probably be obnoxious at first because she has learned already that whining gets her attention from you.

Good luck with her!

P.S. One thing that will help is to not crate her when she is still hyper from playing. Sometimes a pup that has been very well acclimated to the crate (as it sounds with her, good for you!) gets excited just going into the crate because they know they will get a reward. Even if you have just tuckered them out, they get excited again by being put in the crate.

I give my pups a kong with a frozen mixture of Wellness 95% salmon/water/plain yogurt. The mix is about 50% of the canned food, and 25% each of the water and the yogurt. The water helps the mixture freeze more solid, and extends the "life" of the can of food. If you don't have Wellness 95% you can just get canned pink salmon, mix 50% of the salmon, 40% yogurt and 10% water. Works great.

If they still get excited about being in the crate and want to focus on me too much I will play with them with the kong, let them sniff, move it around and build their drive/interest in it, not letting them really have it until I tossed it into the crate, then they jump in the crate and the excitement is focused on that kong rather than you giving a reward/attention for being in the crate.

thanks very much jennifer. i will try this and see how it goes.